Koichiro Matsuura, director-general of the UNESCO, said "heritage police" should be set up to prevent further looting of antiquities in Iraq, which is the birthplace of the ancient civilization in Mesopotamia.

"It is always difficult, when communities are facing the consequences of an armed conflict ... to plead the case for the preservation of the cultural heritage," Matsuura said.

Matsuura said he would ask UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to seek a resolution against illicit trafficking that would also impose an embargo "for a limited period" on the acquisition of Iraqi cultural objects.

Such a resolution would also call for the return of such items to Iraq, he added

When Baghdad fell to allied forces, Iraq's top museums were looted and some 200,000 art objects from ancient Mesopotamia went missing. Meanwhile, the National Library was also burned in the aftermath of the US-led invasion.

UNESCO has taken a leading role in coordinating the world's museums and law enforcement to restore what has been damaged and track down stolen artifacts. The organization plans to send a team to Iraq for initial assessments.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2003)